Shanghai sets goal to be a top-notch cruise hub

Developing sector: People visit the Bund promenade along the Huangpu River in Shanghai. The city plans to improve local cruise brands and attract foreign cruise companies. — AFP

SHANGHAI: Shanghai will build itself into a world-class cruise hub by 2035 and aim to draw in three million cruise tourists annually by 2025, according to the Shanghai Action Plan for Promoting the High-quality Development of the International Cruise Economy (2023-25) released by the city government, last week.

The city has also set an ambitious target to grow into a cruise tourism destination with international influence, and an economic centre for cruises with global resource allocation capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region by 2035.